


Of Kingdoms and of Free Men

by FireEye



Category: Final Fantasy V
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 13:49:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13055247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireEye/pseuds/FireEye
Summary: "Faris, we're gonna die here, aren't we?" -or- the politics of a world where suddenly all your borders overlap.





	Of Kingdoms and of Free Men

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MarsDragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsDragon/gifts).



It was thought that the presence of the Heroes, Chosen by the Crystals, who had saved the world from oblivion and everything, would be a stabilizing influence.  But with their connections to Queen Reina, accusations of bias were immediately leveled against Kingdom Tycoon.

And the less said about Faris’ rampant, irreverent, and blatantly _unrepentant_ disregard for authority the better.

So, while the representatives of every kingdom, country, city-state, township, and quaint village claiming independence on the newly re-formed planet were in heated negotiations trying to establish borders in lands that had suddenly and so drastically changed, and where multiple borders now overlapped, they’d been squirreled away to one of the balconies overlooking the proceedings.

In theory, they were still officially on hand to keep the peace as independent agents.

In practice...

“You’ve turned this into a _drinking game_?”

Butz blinked down at Krile, not quite sure where she’d come from, and swallowed the mouthful of liquor before replying.

Or, well... _diverting the subject_.

“Shouldn’t you be down there, too?”

“Uhuh.  The chancellor appointed an acting regent until I come of age to inherit the throne.”  Krile leaned on the balcony, tracing the grain of the marble beneath her fingertips.  “Besides, I’m not sure I really want to be Queen.”

“Good on ye,” Faris remarked, at the same time as Butz assured her, “I think you’ll make a very capable Queen.”

They exchanged a cool glance behind her.  Krile smiled faintly at the contradiction; she didn’t have to turn around to sense the conflicting energies.

An argument broke out down below over grazing rights.  Faris and Butz exchanged another, more meaningful glance as they clinked their bottled together.  Faris simply upended her bottle; Butz took several long, subsequent swigs to match.  Both now-empty bottles joined the assortment of others lining the floor, and Faris passed Butz a fresh bottle while retrieving another for herself.

Krile straightened and watched them, and pressed her lips together into a thin line.  Marching to Butz’ side, opposite of Faris, against the wall, she said, “Give me one.”

“Are you sure you’re old enough for-...” Faris reached past him to hand Krile a bottle of her own, and Butz fell silent.

Another round of arguing in raised voices broke out below.  Faris squinted as she pried the wax seal off her bottle.  “What was tha’ one abou’ now?”

“One of the hamlets decided it wants to be a province,” Butz interpreted.  “I think.”

Faris shrugged.  Both she and Butz took a sip, and Krile followed by example.

~*~

The next morning found them on the same balcony; Faris slumped against the wall, slumbered breathing even, with Butz having decided her lap was an ideal place to rest his head for the night.

The door banged opened, and Butz started awake.  Faris cracked one eye open, then rolled her head the other direction.

“You guys got to come downstairs,” Krile said.

When neither moved, she grabbed Butz’ arm, tugging him upright.  “C’mon, Walse and Surgate are at each other’s throats.”

Without the man using her thigh as a pillow, Faris stirred and stretched her legs out to lie down more properly, tucking her elbow under her ear and pulling her jacket over her like a blanket.  Glancing back at her, and finding his comfortable resting place now gone, Butz slowly pulled himself cross-legged and leaned his head forward to block the light with his hands.

“After how much you put away last night,” he wondered out loud, “how are you even standing?”

“I’m Galuf Halm Baldesion’s granddaughter,” Krile replied, stance wide and fists resting on her hips.  “Are you gonna come help me stop a war from breaking out or not?”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry I can't write politics well, but they sure are fun to watch?


End file.
